The Flight Of A Devil
by Maz Kazama
Summary: A year after the last tournament, Jin needs help getting his life back together but his friends are shocked at who he turns to. (This is my first fanfiction)
1. Devil's Flight

The Flight of a Devil.  
  
A Tekken fanfiction by Maz  
  
Rating: R for violence and language.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken, I don't own the characters, I am not making any   
  
profit from this, please do not sue me, I am terrified, I have never written a   
  
disclaimer before, please don't nick my ideas people. Thankyou.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Devil's flight  
  
Jin stood atop the balcony of The Mishima Syndicate mansion, he glanced   
  
down at the ground below him, it reminded him of that fatal day when he had   
  
looked down at the sea as he stood atop the cliff near his woodland home. He had   
  
wanted to end his life then, just as he did now. Red lightning coursed around his   
  
body as he contemplated his decision, tilting his head back slightly, he exhaled   
  
slowly forcing the electric current back into his body.  
  
He hated his lightning, he didn't care if it was his heritage or not. He hated   
  
his heritage – his grandfather had betrayed him and tried to murder him, his   
  
uncle was a traitor and his father was a devil – Jin was a devil.  
  
"Half devil." He corrected himself; not that it mattered, nobody seemed to   
  
care, to them he was just Jin Kazama – Devil spawn. Well he'd had enough, tonight   
  
he would end it here, tonight he would join his mother. Pushing his final doubts to   
  
the back of his mind he stepped out with one foot…and somebody placed a hand on   
  
his shoulder.  
  
"Whatcha doin' up here at this time of night Kazama?" Jin turned around   
  
to see a tall ginger haired youth standing next to him.  
  
"Hwoarang…" Jin exhaled, "How did you know I…"  
  
"Christ Pretty Boy you almost woke the whole floor up!" Hwoarang gave an   
  
exasperated sigh, "You never answered my question anyway, watcha doin' up here   
  
in the middle of the night?" Jin sighed and stepped away from the edge. "Geez, for   
  
a second there it looked as if you were going to…" Hwoarang laughed out loud. Jin   
  
bowed his head, Hwoarang's smile faded. "No shit?" Jin slumped down against the   
  
wall, Hwoarang sat down next to him, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket as he   
  
did so. Jin didn't have the heart to protest. "Ain't ya going to say anything to me   
  
at all Jin?"  
  
"I don't think you'd understand…"  
  
"I've been there too you know, when the Toshin killed Baek I thought I   
  
couldn't go on, I didn't see why I should live when my mentor, the closest man I   
  
had to a father was dead."  
  
"This isn't like that." Jin sighed taking Hwoarang's cigarette from him   
  
and lighting it with a spark of crimson lightning, wordlessly he passed it back   
  
the Blood Talon.  
  
"Man you are down…" Hwoarang took a drag from the cigarette and fell   
  
into a comfortable slouch against the wall. "Tell me what's up."   
  
"I don't want to talk tonight."  
  
"Well, I'm not going anywhere 'till we sort this out."  
  
"Hwoarang, this is about my family, I don't think you'd understand."  
  
"Oh, I know 'bout family problems." Jin tilted his head to the side, an   
  
inquisitive frown on his face. "Oh, it's no big, my Dad was a bastard, that's all   
  
there is to it." Hwoarang faltered. "I haven't seen him for years now, that's fine by   
  
me."  
  
"I never had the chance to meet my father, not properly."  
  
"He's still alive though ain't he?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
"Why don't you use those demon powers you've got? I mean being a   
  
hellfiend has gotta have a plus side right?" Jin turned his head away sharply, red   
  
lightning sparking along his body for a split second, Hwoarang paused and then   
  
realised what he'd done. "I'm sorry man, I didn't mean it like that." Jin lifted his   
  
head up slightly although it took all his willpower.   
  
"No…I am a hellfiend, so Hell is where I belong."  
  
"Jin you belong here, we need you here. You can't leave us now."  
  
"I just wish, I wish I knew what I what I was supposed to do."  
  
"Jin, nobody knows what you're here to do, nobody can tell you that. You   
  
decide that for yourself." Jin stood up,  
  
"Maybe I'm not here to do anything, maybe I'm not supposed to do   
  
anything. Maybe I'm not supposed to be here at all."  
  
"Jin! This is crazy!" Jin walked to the edge again. Hwoarang pulled himself   
  
up off the wall and gingerly approached Jin. Thick, black feathered wings sprouted   
  
form Jin's back, Hwoarang jumped backwards to avoid being hit.  
  
"The world wants me dead Hwoarang."  
  
"Fuck the world! You saved the world remember?" Jin flapped his black   
  
wings, the force lifted him off the ground, with another flap he flew forward,   
  
swooping down vertically before rising upwards and flying towards The Moon.   
  
"Jin!" Hwoarang ran to the edge of the balcony almost losing his balance. "Jin!" He   
  
called again, "KAZAMA!!" He cried tilting his head back to the silent sky above   
  
him. "Damn it." He cursed, kicking the ground. Taking a last drag from his   
  
cigarette Hwoarang looked up to the star-less night and saw, silhouetted against   
  
the moon, the flight of a devil. 


	2. Devil's Blessing

Chapter 2  
  
Devil's Blessing  
  
Kazuya sat at the edge of the cliff, his son was coming, he could sense him coming nearer - Jin, the son he'd never had the chance to know. The last time he had seen Jin, his devil side had tried to kill him, Jin had returned the favour by knocking Kazuya out cold, when Kazuya had woken up almost an hour later he had found his father, Heihachi, out cold next to him. Weakened from Jin's beating, Kazuya did not want to face his father, he wasn't sure if he had the strength to do it and this time Heihachi would make sure Kazuya was well and truly dead. Shaking he had transformed into his devil form and taken flight. For the majority of the year he had watched over Jin from a distance. Now Jin was coming to him. Kazuya was unsure of how to react, what could he say to his long lost son? Would the boy even want to talk to him? Perhaps he was just coming to finish what he had started almost one year ago...then again Kazuya was the only family Jin had left, no-one had heard anything of Heihachi since the last Iron Fist Tournament. There was Lee of course, Kazuya's adopted younger brother, ironically known as The Silver Devil on the underground fighting circuit. It was Lee Chaolan who had rescued Kazuya's body from his fiery grave. It was Lee Chaolan who had worked day and night to bring Kazuya back to life, it was Lee Chaolan who had given Kazuya the ability to harness the Devil within him, it was Lee Chaolan who had helped Kazuya through his long and traumatic recovery...It was Lee Chaolan who had betrayed Kazuya to Heihachi at the start of the second Iron Fist Tournament.  
  
"Still, you have redeemed yourself Chaolan." Kazuya said to no-one in particular. Kazuya lay back on the grassy earth, the Sun was rising, Jin had been flying all night to reach him, Kazuya could sense Jin's strength slowly leaving him, no doubt Jin would be exhausted by the time he found his father; perhaps this would work to Kazuya's advantage.  
  
A twinge of blue lightning sparked on Kazuya's torso, Jin was near, Jin was very near. Kazuya looked up at the now orange, dawn sky. Jin fell from the sky, his strength fast deserting him, he landed on the grass near Kazuya.  
  
"Father..." He croaked, his body crying out for rest.  
  
"Quiet son, you've had a long journey." Jin pulled himself over to Kazuya before falling into a much needed sleep.  
  
"How touching..." Hissed the devil in the back of Kazuya's mind. "Let's just hope I don't try and kill him again eh Kazuya?"  
  
"Oh shut up." Kazuya hissed back in thought, silencing the devil with his newly found power.  
  
Kazuya roiled Jin over onto his back, the boy slept peacefully. His chest still bore the black marks, as did his forehead. Jin was dressed plainly in a pair of black drawstring pants a red/orange flame embroidered on the left leg. Kazuya on the other hand was dressed in a much more formal manner. He wore a dark purple suit, a pair of brown Armani leather shoes and a pair of Gucci sunglasses to finish the effect.   
  
Kazuya placed his hand over Jin's forehead, a flash of blue lightning illuminated the air for a second, when the light faded Jin was back in his human form, the black markings gone as were his feathery wings. Kazuya undid the silver buttons on his Versace jacket and shrugged it off his she shoulders, he gently draped it over Jin's bare torso. Then he lay down once again and let himself fall into a restless slumber.  
  
Ling glanced at the beeping alarm clock, 8:00 am.   
  
"Jin?" She murmured, turning over to find only an empty space where Jin should have been. "Jin?" She called out again - Silence. Her eyes were drawn to an envelope with her name on it. With trembling fingers she opened the seal, there was a note enclosed, written in Jin's handwriting.  
  
Xiao-chan  
  
If you are reading this you probably don't know what has happened. I just can't cope with it any more Ling, the world wants me dead and I think it's time I gave them what they want. I love you Ling but you deserve so much better than a demon like me. I love you Ling, I'm sorry.  
  
Jin Kazama.  
  
"No..." Ling felt the tears prickling in the corners of her eyes, the rising lump in her throat, she bit down on her bottom lip to stop it trembling, did this mean Jin was gone? He couldn't be gone, not now. He was only twenty, how could he be...dead? Ling shook her head. "No." She said firmly, building a thick wall of denial in her mind. Jin Kazama was not dead, this was obviously just a joke yet she knew deep down Jin would never do something as sick and twisted as this. Hwoarang? No...Hwoarang was immature, a little rash sometimes but he was not this cruel. The only other option was...Bryan Fury, head of security at the Mishima estate; he would probably do something like this and find it funny. Wiping away her tears, swallowing the lump in her throat and dressing in a simple red kimono, Ling set off to find Bryan Fury.  
  
Hwoarang exhaled a mouthful of smoke, he wondered if Ling knew of Jin's plans.  
  
"What you looking like that for Blood Talon?" Drawled Bryan Fury sparking his own cigarette to life.  
  
"Jin."  
  
"What's up with Satan's son?"  
  
"Don't talk like that about Jin! He's your boss."  
  
"Like you give a damn about authority Blood Talon."  
  
"Yeah well," Hwoarang shrugged, "He's my mate ain't he?"  
  
"BRYAN!!!" Shrieked a high pitched, female voice. "BRYAN get here right now!" Ling ran into the kitchen. "What kind of a sick joke is this?" She exclaimed, waving Jin's letter in front of Bryan's face.  
  
"If you'd fucking keep it still for more than a millisecond I'd be able to see wouldn't I?" Bryan snatched the letter from Xiaoyu. A small smirk spread across the chief's lips as he read the note. "You're telling me pretty boy Kazama's tried to top himself?"  
  
"You...you mean you didn't write this?" Ling faltered, her rage turning to confusion.  
  
"Why the Hell would I write a suicide letter? And to you of all people?"  
  
"I...I thought you'd done as Jin f-for a joke. Hwoarang does this mean that Jin has..." Ling fell into Hwoarang's arms, sobbing.  
  
"Jin's not dead." Hwoarang reassured. "He's just gone away for a bit."  
  
"Where?" Ling sobbed.  
  
"To see his Dad..."  
  
"Kazuya Mishima?" Bryan exclaimed, "That guy tried to kill him didn't he?"  
  
"That was Devil." Hwoarang said, still clutching Ling.  
  
"But Jin will be alright won't he?" Ling whimpered.  
  
"He'll be fine, he can take care of himself."  
  
"But who's gonna run the syndicate while Pretty Boy's away?" Asked Bryan.  
  
"Us, I guess." Hwoarang shrugged.  
  
"We can't run the zaibatsu!" Yelled Ling.  
  
"The pixie's right." Bryan tapped the ash from his cigarette into the ash tray. "We're fighters not businessmen."  
  
"Come on guys, it'll only be for a few days, Jin'll be back soon."  
  
"Hold on, I have a better idea." Ling picked up Bryan's mobile phone which was on charge. "Hello? Operator? Get me in touch with G-corporation please."  
  
Kazuya opened his eyes, one brown, the other a glowing, blood-red, a side effect of his fusion with the Devil. Next to him his son slept on in an exhaustion induced slumber. Kazuya yawned and stretched out listening to the various cracks and pops emitting from his spine. "Jin?" He called, gently shaking his son's muscular shoulder. Jin's eyes clenched tightly and then relaxed as Jin rolled over onto his side. Kazuya smiled slightly, with a sigh he tried again. "Jin? Get up son."  
  
"Huh...wha?" Jin's eyes fluttered open. "Father?"  
  
"I'm here Jin..." Jin sat upright, the two men sat in silence for a while.  
  
"Father...I need to ask you something."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Who am I Dad? What am I?"  
  
"You are my son...you are a Mishima."  
  
"All my life I wanted to know you, all my life I wished you were by my side. If you had been there when my mother and I...If you had been there when Grandfather was beating me every time I disobeyed him, If you had been there when I was fighting the Toshin."  
  
"Believe me Jin, I wished for nothing else."  
  
"I'm so sorry Dad, I tried so hard to save her...I fought as hard as I could but it was so strong..." A single tear leaked from each of Jin's eyes he paused, unsure of how his father would react to his tears, yet as he looked up he saw the tears falling from his father's eyes and he knew, at that moment, his father was not a devil, his father was just a man who had loved and lost, "Dad..." Jin crawled to his father who held him in an embrace in his strong arms.  
  
"Jin." Kazuya sobbed. "I love you Jin."  
  
"I love you too Dad..." As Kazuya cradled Jin in his muscular arms, two angels smiled down from the heavens. One Kazuya's mother, the other his lover. The mothers of both males looked lovingly on the two demons who had been blessed by the presence of angels. 


	3. Devil's Trust

Chapter 3  
  
Devil's trust  
  
"Well, what should we do? How do we run a global enterprise?" Asked Bryan, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"Ummm." Ling squeezed her eyes shut in complete concentration, "I don't know."  
  
"Well, all businessmen wear suits so I guess we should get decked out before we do anything." Hwoarang flicked back his ginger hair.  
  
"So you think dressing like rich bastards is going to help us?" Bryan scowled.  
  
"Well, if we're meeting G-corporation we need to look our best Bryan." Ling stepped up next to Bryan. "So you're have to dress like 'a rich bastard' whether you like it or not."  
  
"Besides...we are rich bastards now." Hwoarang tossed Jin's bulging wallet into the air, catching it with one hand. "So let's treat ourselves to some new threads."  
  
"Yay!!" Ling quickly put on her sandals. "Come on Bryan...Hwoarang, let's go!" Hwoarang smirked.  
  
"It's time to rule the world...so let's do it in style."  
  
Kazuya stroked his youthful son's black hair, the boy was still crying. Kazuya knew Jun was watching them form above as was Kazumi, that's why his tears did not fall.  
  
"It's alright Jin...don't worry son." Sobs racked Jin's body as the tension of the last 19 years of his life came out in his tears. Jin's crimson lightning mixed with his father's blue tinted electricity. Jin relaxed slightly, the lick of his father's lightning on his skin seemed almost, soothing.  
  
"Forgive me father..." Jin sniffed, wiping his eyes. "It's just...meeting you and thinking about Mum and..."  
  
"Shhh." Kazuya pressed his finger to Jin's lips. "Just relax a minute." Jin lay quiet in his father's arms resting his head on Kazuya's chest, his father's slow and relaxed breathing calmed him as he felt the slow movement of his father's chest.   
  
"I'm sorry Dad, you must think I'm pathetic."  
  
"No son...you've gone through so much in your life and you're still standing."  
  
"I'm just...scared."  
  
"What are you scared of Jin? I won't let anything hurt you, I wasn't there to protect you for the last 19 years, I'm going to make up for it now."  
  
"You can't protect me from this Dad."  
  
"I promise you if I can I will."  
  
"I'm scared of...I'm scared of love, of friendship. I don't want to have those feelings Dad."  
  
"Why not son?"  
  
"I loved...I loved my mother more than anything and she was taken from me. I loved and trusted Grandfather Heihachi and he betrayed me."  
  
"What did he do to you Jin?" Kazuya became suddenly serious, lifting Jin's head up until his eyes made contact, he repeated the question, "What did he do to you Jin?"  
  
"Nothing..." Jin dropped his gaze, not wanting to meet his father's eyes.  
  
"Tell me Jin..."  
  
"After I beat the Toshin I was exhausted...I was on the floor trying to catch my breath and hang onto me consciousness, Grandfather came to me followed by his Tekkenshu, he said something and they fired on me. I stretched my hand out to Grandfather in a desperate plea for help. He walked over to m, a pistol in his hand and said something, my head was spinning by then, I don't know what he said, then he raised the pistol and fired right between his eyes. The rest is a blur, I remember seeing markings on my chest and hurling one of the soldiers against the wall. The second time was when he sent his soldiers after me, they drugged me unconscious and the rest you know..."  
  
"I'm so sorry for attacking you Jin."  
  
"That wasn't your fault father, it was Devil."  
  
"I know but I should have been able to control it, I would never, NEVER hurt you on purpose, I swear."  
  
"I'm sorry for attacking you, I thought you were evil like..."  
  
"Like Heihachi." Jin nodded slightly, his eyes closed for a second. Kazuya swore to himself he would never treat Jin how Heihachi had treated Lee and himself. He would never lay a finger on Jin no matter how disobedient the boy was.  
  
"What did Grandfather used to do you Dad?" Kazuya looked away and simply shook his head as he remembered the tortuous nights in the dojo with Heihachi when he thought he might drop down and die. "He used to hurt you didn't he?" Kazuya nodded once. "What about Uncle Lee? Did he hurt him too?"  
  
"A little, he usually just ignore Lee, Lee was just there to make me mad."  
  
"And did he?" Jin asked. "Did he make you mad?"  
  
"Constantly." Kazuya smiled slightly, "When we were younger he would follow me around begging me to play with him. He was a typical annoying little brother. When we were older, of course it was a different story, he used to get all the girls..." Kazuya grinned, "Lucky devil." Jin grinned too, not noticing the irony of his father's metaphor. "But what about you eh?" Kazuya's grin broadened, turned out to be quite the lady's man yourself I see..." Kazuya ruffled his son's jet-black hair.  
  
"Well I...um...I..." Jin flushed bright red, trying to avoid looking at his father as a shameful smile graced his features. "I don't know about that."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Kazuya winked, "I bet you've got to beat them off with a stick."  
  
"Dad!!" Jin yelled in mock annoyance, punching his father on the arm. Kazuya laughed, rolling over and pinning his son's shoulders against the grass. Jin growled, playfully, rolling his father over and pinning him to the ground. Kazuya laughed as the two rolled over and over, releasing their energies, play fighting just for the fun of it.  
  
"Hey hey, you're a tough one aren't you?" Said Kazuya. Jin rolled off his father, lying next to him on the grass. "Come on trouble, you need some more clothes, you'll get a cold."  
  
"Dad you sound like..." Jin's voice trailed off.  
  
"Like Jun?" Kazuya asked tenderly. Jin nodded. Look son, I think we need a little trip." Kazuya stood up, blue lightning engulfed his body, his nails elongated into yellowing talons a glowing red gem pushed out from between his eyes, his skin turned a shade of purple and matching coloured wings sprouted from his back, Jin's eyes widened.  
  
"Devil?" He asked his voice shaking.  
  
"It's alright son." Devil spoke in Kazuya's voice yet Jin was still wary.  
  
"How can I trust you?" Jin asked, standing up. Kazuya opened his eyes as the lightning faded from his form, one a pulsing red matching the gem in his brow the other a deep brown, the same as Jin's.  
  
"You know how." Jin nodded as his own transformation began. "Now Jin..." Kazuya looked into his devil son's eyes. "Let's fly." 


	4. Devil's Scars

Chapter 4  
  
Devil's scars  
  
Hwoarang walked slowly down the Tokyo high street. IN front of him Ling was busy annoying Bryan.  
  
"Yo Hwoarang..." Bryan turned around.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How's about this one?" Bryan pointed to a Christian Dior boutique at the end of the road.  
  
"Yaaaaaay!" Ling squealed, running into the shop. Hwoarang shrugged.  
  
"Yeah I guess so...will you keep an eye on Ling? I'm just gonna have a fag."  
  
"Alright I'll catch you later." Hwoarang sloped off to a back alley and sparked his cigarette to life. He was slowly beginning to unwind when he felt the smallest tug on his pocket, perhaps if master Baek hadn't taught him to be so alert he wouldn't have noticed it. Turning around sharply he grabbed hold of a youth's wrist, glancing down he saw the young boy had hold of Jin's wallet.   
  
"Get your filthy hands of that." He spat, twisting the youth's wrist to a cruel angle. The youth cried out in pain, dropping the wallet. Hwoarang smirked, snapping the boy's wrist and picking up Jin's wallet. The boy dropped to his knees, a swift axe kick from Hwoarang sent him to the floor. "You're lucky I don't kill you, punk..." He sneered, snuffing his cigarette out on the boy's chest. The boy cried out again, Hwoarang walked away, smirking.  
  
Jin flapped his huge, feathery wings, ascending to his father's height.  
  
"Where are we going Dad?" Jin asked again.  
  
"I told you, be patient." Kazuya replied firmly, he knew if he told Jin where he was headed there was no way Jin would follow. Jin sighed, swooping down in a spiralling, vertical dive, he pulled up sharply and flew upwards finishing in a loop the loop around his father.  
  
"Aw Dad why is it such a big secret?"  
  
"Because I said so." Kazuya replied firmly, flapping his violet wings rapidly to keep up with Jin who seemed thoroughly bored by the journey. Jin was flying with his back towards the ground, staring up at the stars. "Don't you like flying Jin?" Kazuya tactfully changed the subject.  
  
"Yeah but...it reminds me."  
  
"Reminds you of what?"  
  
"Of myself."  
  
"It reminds you of yourself?" Kazuya frowned, studying his son with a new curiosity, he had no idea Jin was so deep. "What do you mean son?"  
  
"Of what I am, of who I am."  
  
"I told you Jin, you are my son, you're a Mishima."  
  
"I'm a devil!" Jin's voice rose slightly.  
  
"You are a human just like everyone else, you're just...special."  
  
"I don't want to be special, I just want to be normal."  
  
"You can't change who you are Jin but you can change how you look at it."  
  
"Everyone hates me Dad!"  
  
"Bullshit Jin, Hwoarang, does he hate you? Ling, does she hate you? Do I hate you? No...I don't, neither does anyone else."  
  
"How can you understand Dad? You've been...dead...for the last 19 years."  
  
"I've been more alive than you think..."  
  
"Why can't you just tell me where we're going? We've been flying for ages..."  
  
"Alright..." Kazuya flew to the right and landed on a nearby cliff, followed closely by Jin. "But before I tell you where, I have to show you why."  
  
Hwoarang pulled his curtains closed, feeling the urge for a smoke he opened one of his bedside drawers rummaging around for a packet of Camel. His hand shifted the contents around until Hwoarang felt the familiar, cuboid cardboard box. He sparked the cigarette to life and placed the box back in the drawer, glancing down he noticed something he had not seen for a long time, a large, leather-bound book. Frowning, he picked it up out of the draw and sat cross-legged on his bed, as he wiped the dust off the front cover a small smile came to his face.  
  
" The Diary of Hwoarang age 6 1/2 "  
  
Was scribbled across the front in red felt-tip. Hwoarang opened the book prepared himself for an interesting read.  
  
Kazuya stared at his son for a moment before changing to his human form, he indicated for Jin to do the same. Jin tossed his head back as his body morphed into a human's.   
  
"Now son," Kazuya began, "I need to tell you something."  
  
"What?"   
  
"What I'm going to say and do you're not going to like and neither am I but I have to do it for you son."  
  
"Dad...what're you talking about?"  
  
"I'm sorry..." Kazuya's dropped down.  
  
"Dad?" Jin frowned, he was confused and, although a little reluctant to admit it, a little scared. "Dad what're you..."  
  
"IDIOT!!" Devil-Kazuya hissed cutting Jin off midway through his sentence. "You fool Kazuya, you've just made a big mistake." Jin stepped back, the voice was not his father's, it was cold and unfeeling.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"No Jin..." Devil-Kazuya looked up, both eyes glowing red.  
  
"What have you done with my father?" Jin fell into stance.  
  
"What have I done?" Devil-Kazuya repeated, "It was your father that gave me control, he practically forced me out of himself." Jin's eyes widened.  
  
"No, you're wrong...My Dad would never give you control."  
  
"No, Mishima, you're wrong, your father did just give me control and now I'm going to use to kill you." Jin stood his ground and stared back defiantly. "Get ready to die Jin Mishima..."  
  
Hwoarang looked at the first page of his diary, it was a bit yellow and slightly crumpled but he could still read the writing.  
  
10th January  
  
Grandma gave me this book for my birthday, she said I should 'write my feelings down' whatever that means. Well, I feel a bit sad, Daddy forgot my birthday this year too. I stayed up real late thinking he had a surprise for me but he just hit me and told me to go to bed. It was just a slap this time though, I don't think it'll bruise so I'll be able to go to school tomorrow.  
  
Hwoarang slammed the book shut in rage. He'd blocked out the memories of his father but when they were written down in black and white in front of him there was nowhere he could hide. All the Tae Kwon Do in the world couldn't save him from the past. Forcing himself to look again, Hwoarang skipped through the pages until he was near the back. He finally settled on a page, he entry was written on his birthday again but the writing was neater, dried spots of blood blurred some of the missing words but Hwoarang could make out the majority of text.  
  
10th January  
  
It's been two hours now, two hours since we fought and my nose still won't stop bleeding. I'm writing this in a shop doorway, it's raining, my hand won't stop shaking. I think it's because of the cold. I'm scared. Dad broke my arm, my right arm, I've made a sort of make-shift sling but it hurts so bad. I haven't eaten for twelve hours...I don't know if I'm going to make it through tonight....I would go see Baek but I can't walk. My chest is burnt from Dad's cigarette, it hurts like hell. I suppose this might be my last entry. Yeah...Happy fucking birthday to me.  
  
Devil-Kazuya hit Jin with a backhand to his face. Jin hissed and countered with a roundhouse kick to Devil-Kazuya's head. Devil-Kazuya stumbled backwards.  
  
"Give up Jin..." He hissed. Jin shook his head.  
  
"No."  
  
"You know you can't win Jin." Jin lunged forward with a three punch combination, each punch connecting with a dull thud. Devil-Kazuya laughed. "Yeah, you've improved but you should accept that I'm going to win, I'm going to kill you." Devil-Kazuya mocked, taking Jin's legs from underneath him with the rising sun. "It's time you joined that whore of a mother of yours."  
  
"SHUT UP!!" Jin screeched, pulling himself upward and lunging forwards blindly. His punch was sloppy and way off target. Devil-Kazuya didn't even have to block, he just rammed his knee into Jin's stomach. Jin staggered backwards and fell into a short stance, red lightning surrounding his fists.  
  
"What's the matter Jin?" Devil-Kazuya mocked, "Mummy not teach you how to fight?" Jin dug his nails deep into his palms, drawing blood, he lunged forwards again, this time with a kick. Devil-Kazuya blocked easily and punched Jin in the head. "Course she didn't." He panted. "Too busy standing on street corners waiting for some druggie to come and fuck her..."  
  
"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Jin screamed, charging towards Devil-Kazuya in a blind fury. Devil-Kazuya sidestepped and smiled as stumbled past him almost tumbling into the chasm. Jin waved his arms madly, fighting for balance, suddenly a strong arm gripped his shoulder, steadying him. Jin span around, seething with anger, ready to snap the devil's neck, regardless of the fact it would kill his father - that was just a bonus.  
  
"Jin." Kazuya said gingerly.  
  
"Dad?" Jin replied, equally cautious, his hands still raised in a defensive guard.  
  
"It's me." Jin opened his mouth to speak, a barrage of questions on his tongue but Kazuya spoke quicker. "Just listen." He said, a hint of authority seeping into his voice. "I'm not sorry for what I did Jin so don't expect an apology for that. I'm sorry it had to be done and I'm sorry that it had to me to do it but I;m not sorry that I did it."  
  
"But what it said-" Jin started.  
  
"Wasn't true." Kazuya cut in. "He said those things to wind you up, to throw you off guard and it worked Jin, it worked, as soon as he mentioned Jun the scales were tipped completely in his favour."  
  
"But he just got me so mad..."  
  
"Exactly, so your concentration went, your technique went. The whole thing was easy for him from then on."  
  
"But it wasn't-"  
  
"Fair?" Kazuya raised his eyebrows. "What is?"  
  
"Why is it like this Dad?" Jin sighed, dropping to the ground. "It's like any time anyone says something bad about Mum I just...snap and there's all this anger and hatred in me and it...it scares me. The pain, it's so raw, it's as if I just lost her again and it won't go away. I just...I just want to stop hurting, I want to heal."  
  
"Jin..." Kazuya began, sitting down next to his son. "A wound can only heal of you let it, if you pick away at it then it will always be there, a scar."  
  
"But Dad I've tried to heal I really have. I tried to move on but the past won't go away."  
  
"No the past won't go away." Kazuya paused, "It's already gone." 


	5. Devil's Homecoming 1

Chapter 5  
  
Devil's homecoming - 1  
  
Hwoarang sighed, picking up the picture of his mentor that he always kept by his bed.  
  
"Baek." He sighed, letting the name fall into the silence. It had been Baek who had saved him, he remembered. After Hwoarang had missed a training session, a very rare occurrence, Baek Doo-San had visited Hwoarang's house, only to find Hwoarang's father passed out on the sofa, a whiskey bottle dangling precariously in his hand. After leaving the house Baek had searched for hours in the pouring rain until he eventually found the ginger haired youth cowering in a doorway. Baek had taken the teenager home and looked after him until he was ready to start training again, and for a long time after that. Doo-San had refused to allow Hwoarang to go back to his abusive father and Hwoarang was overjoyed when Baek asked him to move in with him. From that day onwards Hwoarang had seen nothing more of his father and, to be honest, he was pretty glad.  
  
Hwoarang smiled remembering Baek's kindness to him. He unbuttoned his shirt a little, running his fingers over the scar left by his father's cigarette. Suddenly he was hit with a flashback, memories of the beating he had given the youth in the alleyway coming all at once. Gasping at his own cruelty Hwoarang snatched his coat and bolted out of the door.  
  
Ling stared up at the sky, it was a clear night and the stars shone like beacons in the darkness. Ling smiled faintly, remembering when Jin had nicknamed her that.  
  
"And sometimes I feel like I'm losing myself, like I'm drowning and I get scared because it's so dark and I'm alone and then I see you and it's okay again and you're always there - My beacon in the darkness."  
  
"Yo, hey, Earth to Ling?!" A male voice drew her out of her memories and, for one fleeting second, she thought it was Jin. Ling looked up and her face fell.  
  
"Oh, hi Bryan." She said unenthusiastically.  
  
"Hey, geez, sorry to disappoint." Bryan sat down next to the brown haired girl.  
  
"What's up?" Asked Ling in monotone, dejectedly poking the ground with a stick.  
  
"Oh nothing." Bryan drawled, "Just wondered what you were doing sitting in the gardens at one in the morning in the freezing cold on your own." Bryan paused for breath, "That's all."  
  
"I was just...thinking." Ling said wistfully. "About Jin."  
  
"What about him?"  
  
"I'm worried." Ling said sadly, snapping the stick in half and throwing it a few feet away from her.  
  
"Hey don't worry, Kazuya can take care of himself."  
  
"Bryan, last time anyone saw him he wanted to commit suicide." Bryan couldn't think of a reply to this so Ling carried on in a softer tone filling the silence. "But I feel like, if he was dead, I feel like I would know, you know? Like I would feel...I don't know...something."  
  
"Yeah." Bryan nodded, although he personally believed Jin had probably slit his wrists days ago.  
  
"Because he's never far away." Bryan frowned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He once told me. ' Whenever I'm gone, I'll never be far away. If you ever feel lonely just look up at the sky and that somewhere, I'm under that same sky. You see? I'm never far away '"  
  
"He's right I guess." Shrugged Bryan as he started to consider things in a way he never had before, He took one look up at the sky and then turned his head to look at Ling, she looked so sad. "You really miss him huh?"  
  
"Well of course, he's my boyfriend."  
  
"Like that means anything." Ling gasped, tears forming in her eyes. "What?" Bryan frowned, "What did I say?"  
  
"Are you saying he doesn't love me?" Ling sniffed, her eyes wide.  
  
"What? Oh, no, no, no I didn't mean that, I just meant that, you know..." Bryan gabbled but Ling wasn't listening, tears in her eyes she picked herself off the floor and ran clumsily towards the house. Bryan sighed and lit up another cigarette. "Women..."  
  
Jin looked up at the sky as he flew and his thoughts wandered to Ling. He knew he shouldn't have left her how he did, Ling probably thought he was about to top himself, at the minute it did seem an appealing concept. His father was once again taking him somewhere but this time Jin could sense some familiarity about the surroundings. His dark eyes roamed over the forests and up to the mountains in the distance and then, with the force of a truck, it hit him - he was going home.  
  
Lio looked up at the man stood in front of him, it was the same man as before, tall with ginger hair and a pair of goggles perched on his head. Terrified, Lio tried to shuffle away but he couldn't use his broken wrist to support his weight and he doubted he would be able to get far. The man knelt down next to him as if sensing his pain.  
  
"Easy..." He said quietly, "My name's Hwoarang."  
  
"I'm sorry." Lio whimpered, glancing up at the man's puzzled expression. "About the wallet, I'm sorry."  
  
"No, look." The man sat down, leaning against the alley wall. "I'm sorry. I was completely out of my rights to attack you like that, I had some money and I felt powerful and I let it go to my head and I came to ask." Hwoarang took a deep breath, "Will you forgive me?"  
  
"Uh..." Lio looked up at Hwoarang, dumbstruck, the man was actually apologizing? This had never happened before, of course it might all be a trick but Lio decided that he had nothing to lose so he might as well go with the flow. "Yeah, sure."  
  
"Oh." Hwoarang faltered, he had been expecting a huge argument off the kid or at least some kind of rebellion, not this. "I...I want you to forgive me because you want to though, not because you're scared."  
  
"No, I do." Lio paused, finding that he actually did forgive the man, it must have taken some guts to come and apologise. "I really do. I shouldn't have tried to take your wallet."  
  
"You think I've never done that before?" Hwoarang cocked an eyebrow. Hwoarang took in the youth's confused face, "Hey, I know a thing or two about living it rough you know."  
  
"You?" Lio asked incredously. Hwoarang nodded, sitting down on the wet concrete and leaning against the wall.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"But when? Why? How come I haven't seen you around?" Hwoarang smiled slightly as the youth bombarded him with questions.  
  
"When I was younger, about six, my mother died." Lip winced in sympathy, gazing intently at the ginger haired man. "My father turned to drink and drugs to forget, there were days I'd find him passed out on the sofa or sometimes, not there at all." Hwoarang paused, "Those were the good days." Lio gasped, he thought he had troubles. Hwoarang dragged a hand through his hair almost lost in a world of his own, the words flowing without him even having to think. "Of course there were the bad days too...and the really bad days. As I grew up Dad seemed to hate me more and more, he would hit me every time I wasn't 'manly' enough, punishing me for acting like my 'god damned mother, or sometimes just for the fun of it, just because I was there - that was always the problem. I was there and mother wasn't. I got used to sleeping rough, missing days, weeks off school so no-one would see the bruises, the broken bones...the tears."  
  
Lio sighed placing a comforting hand on Hwoarang's back.  
  
"It's okay." He murmured, Hwoarang laughed hollowly.  
  
"...This isn't really where I was planning on going with this..." He muttered, snapped out of his trance-like state.  
  
"So what happened?" Lio pressed, anxious to know more about the Korean youth's past. "How did you end up where you are now?" Hwoarang paused for a second, thinking of how much information he should give away, if he went into too much detail he would have to talk about Baek and...no, he couldn't talk about that to the young boy now, not yet.  
  
"I got..." Hwoarang paused again, searching for the words, "...a second chance." Lio nodded although he knew there was more to the story than that. "And that's what I came to give you." Hwoarang continued, "Now I don't know who you are or where you came from but what I did was wrong and you deserve an apology, you deserve more than that and I..." Hwoarang stopped when he realised he was babbling, "Do you want to come and live with me?"  
  
AN: Thank you sooooooo much to everyone who reviewed, it's a real confidence booster and I am so happy you all thought it was okay. Thank you times a million.   
  
Ciao,  
  
Maz 


	6. Devil's homecoming 2

Chapter 6  
  
Devils homecoming - 2  
  
Kazuya touched down on the wet grass, behind him he heard Jin do the same. The devil could sense his son's growing anxiety, his brow furrowed in concern, the dark haired fighter was looking around frantically.  
  
"No..." Jin mumbled almost inaudibly. "Not here, not...not now." The Japanese youth was trembling now, his hands shaking so violently that Kazuya could see the tremors from a metre away. "No I can't...no I don't..."  
  
"Jin!" Kazuya yelled, closing the gap between him and his son. "Jin snap out of it! We need to talk about this!"  
  
"No!" Jin yelled turning away. "No..." He repeated in a softer tone.  
  
"Jin you need to get past it, you need to - I need you to."  
  
"No, if I admit then...she's really gone."  
  
"Jin." Kazuya turned his son around and looked him in the eyes. "What happened the night your mother died?"  
  
Hwoarang undid Lio's shirt wincing at the cigarette burn.  
  
"We, uh, we'll need to dress this so it doesn't scar..." He muttered, blushing slightly.  
  
"It'd scar?" Lio frowned, gazing at Hwoarang's pained expression. "How do you..." Lio trailed off as Hwoarang took off his tee shirt revealing a small circular brand mark. "Hwoarang, who?" Lio trailed off again, speechless as Hwoarang's pain seemed to consume him. "Was it your father?" The young boy asked gingerly. Hwoarang nodded, swallowing heavily. "Hwoarang why didn't you tell anyone about him? He could have taken it too far, he could have killed you!"  
  
"He tried." Hwoarang paused, "He failed, it's no big deal..."  
  
"Hwoarang..."  
  
"It's no big deal." Hwoarang repeated, this time with authority. "Let me dress this then you should get some rest, I'll drop you off at school tomorrow." Hwoarang frowned as Lio suddenly went tense. "What is it? You got a problem with school?"  
  
"Nothing..." Lio replied quietly, "It's no big deal."  
  
Ling looked at Bryan in desperation as she tried to make some sense of the various bits of paper in front of her, Bryan looked back frowning.   
  
"Don't fucking ask me, I can't make nor tail of it, it just looks like a load of words and numbers to me."  
  
"Well what are we supposed to do? How can we run a global enterprise if we can't even understand the job description?"  
  
"Dunno." Bryan shrugged. "I can't believe Jin spends his time reading this shit. Kazama's a damn sight cleverer than he looks."  
  
"It's no good." Ling threw down the papers in exasperation. "We'll have to phone Lee."  
  
"I...I..." Jin stammered, shaking frantically.  
  
"Jin, what happened?"  
  
"I tried." Jin choked." Tried to stop it, to save her."  
  
"But?" Jin looked down solemnly, he had stopped trembling now and started pacing.  
  
"I dreamed of killing it." He paused, staring straight at Kazuya, "Or I think they were dreams...I dreamt every night but every morning she was gone."  
  
"Jin how did she die?" Kazuya yelled, losing patience.  
  
"No!" Jin yelled, he was shaking again now.  
  
"Face it and heal! What happened?" Jin made his way shakily to a small patch of patch of grass a few metres away from a burnt out cabin.  
  
"It landed here." He said quietly, afraid to go on. "Mum stood here." Jin took a few paces backwards, "I was behind her, she told me to run but I didn't, I stayed." Kazuya stood perfectly still, he had waited so long to find out how Jun, the one woman he dared to love, had died. "She fought, in all my life I have never seen anyone fight like my mother did on that night. I tried to protect her but it was so strong and it got her and I couldn't stop it and it's all my fault." Tears were flowing down his cheeks but Jin either didn't notice or didn't care.  
  
"Jin I..." Kazuya started but Jin cut him off, deep into his rant.  
  
"It grabbed me and threw me and all I could do was watch as it took her very soul out of her body and then it crushed her chest with it's foot." Jin was nearly hyperventilating now. "And then she said..." Jin paused and fell to his knees. "She said she loved me."  
  
"She did." Kazuya encouraged, "She does."  
  
"How could she say that after what I did?" Jin sobbed.  
  
"Jin...what..." Kazuya started, confused, "What did you do?"  
  
"I let it get her!" Jin fell forwards so he was all fours, his secret that he had kept hidden for so many years was out. "I might as well have killed her myself...."  
  
"You think..." Kazuya gasped, "You think you killed mother..."  
  
Lip walked quickly to the front gate, his eyes darting around for any sign of them. His heart was pounding now, the gate was only a few metres away from him. He could hear footsteps behind him, his walk turned to a jog and then to an all out sprint. It was useless, Lio knew that he wasn't a bad sprinter, not by any accounts, he was quick - they were quicker.  
  
Hwoarang watched with a bored curiosity as the hordes of students trudged out of the school gates. A few of the older boys scanned his motorbike and nodded their approval, a few of the girls scanned him and nodded their approval. A particularly beautiful girl had the courage to come up and whisper something in his ear before running away giggling with her friends. Hwoarang thought nothing of it, he was used to it, one of the many perks of being strong and handsome. Slowly but surely the gaggle of school children thinned out and Hwoarang had seen no sign of Lio, he was pretty sure he wouldn't miss the boy and even surer the boy wouldn't miss him do where was he? Frowning he chained his motorbike to a lamppost and made his way to the school gates, he was determined that whatever Lio's problem was he would find it and solve it.  
  
"No listen Jin, you DID NOT kill your mother, it's NOT your fault she died." Kazuya urged.  
  
"But I couldn't stop it..." Jin sobbed.  
  
"You did, remember? You beat it, you destroyed it. You saved so many lives."  
  
"But not hers. Oh God, I wasn't her back Dad, I need her back."  
  
"We all want her back Jin but that's not going to happen."  
  
"Because of me..."  
  
"NO!" Kazuya growled, "Listen to me, the only person responsible for your mother's death is The Toshin and that is dead, thanks to you." Jin looked up and Kazuya almost broke down himself, Jin looked so vulnerable, so lost.  
  
"Promise?" The Japanese youth asked sounding more like a lost toddler than the conqueror of the almighty Toshin.  
  
"I promise." He sighed, "Now let's go home." 


	7. Devil's return

Chapter 7  
  
Devil's Return  
  
Hwoarang was the first to enter the house, he was followed quickly by Lio. Neither of them said a word as they walked through the empty hallways. Hwoarang walked quickly, an angry scowl on his face, Lio followed behind having to walk quickly, almost jog to keep up with the Blood Talon. Hwoarang stopped abruptly outside his bedroom and, still silent, swiped his card through the lock.  
  
"In here." He commanded, his voice tight with anger. Lio entered and sat on the bed, Hwoarang closed the door quietly behind him.  
  
"Hwoarang I-"  
  
"Don't." Hwoarang raised his hand, "I want a straight answer, why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I don't know."   
  
"Oh right, it must have just slipped your mind right?" Hwoarang's tone wasn't amused. "Why didn't you tell me"? He repeated.  
  
"I didn't think you'd want to know." Lio said quietly.  
  
"Lio of course I'd want to know, I asked you if there was a problem, you said it was fine, I don't want you to lie to me."  
  
"You don't tell me everything!" Yelled Lio, "You can't just show up and expect everything to be okay! You don't know me!"   
  
"Lio, I know, I'm just trying to help."  
  
"We help me then, you beat them, I saw you, you didn't get a scratch. Beat them up for me, make them leave me alone."  
  
"Then I'd be as much a bully as them."  
  
"So you're saying we won't fight them?"   
  
"I won't fight them, you will."  
  
"What, me? I can't fight, I'm not a martial artist."  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"You..." Lio swallowed hard. " You really think I can do it?"  
  
"I know it." Hwoarang paused when he heard the door open. "Come on, let's see who that is."  
  
*  
  
"JIN!!" Hwoarang yelled as Jin entered the hallway, "Oh God, you're alive!" Hwoarang ran over to the black haired youth, pleasure relief and anger fighting for control of his feelings.   
  
"Hey Hwoarang." Said Jin quietly hesitantly making eye contact.  
  
"Well, where've you been? What did you do?"  
  
"Hwoarang." Jin began slowly, "This is my father, Kazuya Mishima." Kazuya stepped out from behind his son. Hwoarang's eyes widened.  
  
"M...Mr Mishima." He stammered. "It's err, nice to meet you." He finished, extending his arm. Kazuya shook hands with the Korean, Hwoarang could feel the energy radiating off him. "Must be the lightning." He thought.  
  
"Nice to meet you, err..."  
  
"Hwoarang." Hwoarang finished.  
  
"Nice to meet you Hwoarang."  
  
"Jin, where did you..." Hwoarang stammered. "What happened to you?"  
  
"Father and I went on a trip." Jin replied simply, not wanting to give too many details away.  
  
"Right."  
  
"Who's that?" Asked Jin, indicating to Lio.  
  
"Oh, this is Lio, he's staying with us. I'm, going to train him." Jin nodded.  
  
"Nice to meet you Lio." Lio nodded, awed by Jin's powerful presence.  
  
"Hello Jin." He stammered.  
  
"Lee and Ling are in the dining room with Bryan." Said Hwoarang. "Do you want to go and see them?" Jin nodded and walked past Hwoarang followed closely by his father, Hwoarang and Lee exchanged nervous glances before making their way into the dining room behind Jin and Kazuya.  
  
"Jin!!" Ling threw herself onto Jin, kissing him passionately. Jin smiled and wrapped his arms around her in a protective embrace. "Where have you been?" She sobbed.  
  
"I went...on a trip and I met my father." Ling obviously couldn't have cared less about Jin's father as she continued to stick to Jin like a limpet.  
  
"But your note..."  
  
"Doesn't matter anymore." Jin finished. "Throw it away or burn it or something, that's not how I feel anymore."  
  
"Good." Ling smiled, "I'm glad to hear it." Ling clutched Jin even closer to her.  
  
"Um, Ling..." Jin stammered, "You can let go now..."  
  
*  
  
"Okay. I've got news." Lee began. "Some good news and some bad news."  
  
"Get on with it Lee!" Yelled Kazuya.  
  
"Right." Lee swallowed "Heihachi is dead." A sudden silence swamped the room, all heads turned to Kazuya who stood rigid.  
  
"Well?" He said plainly, "What's the bad news?"  
  
"Well, just before he died, Heihachi employed a scientist called Doctor Abel-"  
  
"That's the guy who..." Bryan cut in.  
  
"Yes, the guy that gave you your body, however, Heihachi had Abel implant something into you, in a last ditch attempt to drag his family down with him he made Abel plant a...a bomb into you, it'd due to detonate - tomorrow." For the first time in his life, Bryan Fury was speechless.  
  
"You mean I'm gonna die...tomorrow?" Lee nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry." He finished.  
  
"Well can't...can't you get it out?" Bryan stammered.  
  
"I'm sorry." Lee said again.  
  
"Don't you 'I'm sorry' me, you're not at all." Bryan spun around to face Kazuya, "You could bring HIM back to life! You just want me dead."   
  
"Bryan..." Ling said softly, "You're overreacting."  
  
"Overreacting! OVERREACTING!!!!" Bryan was screaming now, "I'm gonna fucking DIE tomorrow!!"  
  
"Bryan!" Jin threw a haymaker at Bryan's face causing the man to stagger backwards. "That's enough!" The Fatal Lightning's tone was deadly. "One more outburst like that and you leave this building. We can't help you when you're like this so either shut-up or piss off." Kazuya watched proudly as Bryan was silenced, the room was deathly quiet for a few seconds before a timid voice broke the silence.  
  
"Hey." Said Lio, "Where's Hwoarang?"  
  
*  
  
Jin jogged behind Hwoarang to catch him.  
  
"Hwoarang!" He yelled, Hwoarang carried on walking. "Hwoarang wait!" Jin sprinted until he caught up with the Blood Talon. "Hwoarang stop, where are you going?"  
  
"Go away Jin." Hwoarang answered plainly, still walking.  
  
"Hwoarang just wait we can-"  
  
"I mean it Kazama." Hwoarang cut in, "Leave me alone."  
  
"Hwoarang, let's just talk about this."  
  
"Damn it Kazama!" Hwoarang stopped abruptly and whirled around to face Jin. "What is it with you? You walk around brooding and moping, never letting anyone get close and then you just expect everyone to open up to you and tell you their problems?"  
  
"I'm just trying-"  
  
"To help, I know, but hey, guess what Kazama? You aren't. You can't help me, you can't help Bryan, fucking Hell Jin, you can't even help yourself."  
  
"Well...I..." Jin stammered, reeling from Hwoarang's verbal attack. "I didn't mean to upset you."  
  
"You know what Jin? Screw you. I don't need you, Ling doesn't need you, your Dad doesn't need you, why don't you do us all a favour and just leave?" Jin looked at Hwoarang, his eyes filled with pain. Slowly breaking eye contact, Jin turned his back on Hwoarang and walked to the exit. Jin paused just before he walked through the double doors.   
  
"I went on a trip Hwoarang, I went and changed." Jin swallowed. "But I guess it's pretty obvious to see...you've just stayed the same."  
  
*  
  
Jin walked aimlessly down the street, his fists clenched. He walked for a while, staring at the paving stones, trying to think clearly as anger, grief and sympathy fought for control of his emotions.  
  
"Bastard." He thought to himself, "Thinks he can treat everyone like shit, just because he's grieving he thinks he has a right to take it out on everyone else. Hell, Bryan isn't even dead yet."  
  
"Hey, watch it!" A blonde haired man yelled as Jin collided with him.  
  
"Sorry." Jin muttered, walking past. He decided the main streets weren't the best place to do some serious thinking. Turning to his left, Jin noticed an alleyway, it looked pretty deserted apart from a few crates and boxes. Walking into the alley Jin sat down on a damp wooden crate, the boards creaked precariously but held his weight. Jin stared ahead, trying to gather his shattered thoughts. He was so caught up in his brooding, Jin didn't hear the trod of footsteps or see the shadows of the three hooded men approaching - 10 seconds later he felt the tranquilliser pierce his skin but by then, Jin realised as he slumped to the ground, it was too late.  
  
*  
  
Hwoarang walked back into the room feeling somewhat calmer now he had let all his aggression out.  
  
"Bryan..." Hwoarang said quietly, "I'm sorry," Bryan nodded in recognition. "What...what do you want to do?" Hwoarang stammered, "Before you die?"   
  
Go out and get totally and utterly shit face drunk so I can forget about it." Bryan said plainly. Hwoarang smiled a sad smile.  
  
"Sounds like a plan."   
  
"Okay." Lee cut in, "You've got 24 hours."  
  
"Wait." Yelled Ling as Hwoarang and Bryan walked away, "What about Jin?"  
  
"Oh." Hwoarang had completely forgotten about the Japanese fighter. "He'll find us." Hwoarang half said, half prayed. He knew when Bryan died he would need someone to help him, he would need someone who would sit down and just listen, he would need someone who would comfort him and see him cry but not damage his pride...he would need Jin. Unfortunately, Hwoarang didn't know at the minute, just how much Jin needed him. 


	8. Devil's capture

Chapter 8  
  
Devil's Capture  
  
As soon as Jin opened his eyes he knew something was wrong. His wings were out for one thing, he couldn't sit up and his head felt as if he just 'stone head-ed' a brick wall about 20 times, not that the rest of his body felt much better. Steel manacles on his wrists and ankles clamped him to a large operating table and a metal collar around his neck made it impossible for the young fighter to move his head. His heightened hearing picked up the sound of someone approaching , Jin strained his eyes to try to see who it was.  
  
"Uh...Doctor Abel, Sir, he's awake." A male voice rang out. Jin closed his eyes hoping whoever it was would think he had passed out again.  
  
"Ah Jin, it's about time you woke up." Jin didn't move, praying they would leave. "I'm Doctor Abel, it's about time we met." Jin's eyes shot open, a hateful sneer tugged at his mouth, this man tried to kill him, his friends and family. Trapped or not - Jin would make him pay.  
  
*  
  
"Well he kept his word for once." Hwoarang thought as Bryan pranced around the stage to 'The Cheeky Song' doing something that vaguely resembled dancing. Bryan had promised to get shit faced drunk within an hour and he had succeeded. As the song finished Bryan bowed, almost stumbling over as he scanned the crowed under the deluded, drunken impression that they were laughing with him. Hwoarang groaned as Bryan began dancing again, he felt strange, he was sad that Bryan was going to die, of course but there was something else. Whatever he thought of his brain kept on coming back to the same conclusion. "It's as if someone's-"  
  
*  
  
"-pulling me." Kazuya thought as he paced his new bedroom. He couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was calling him and it was getting, stronger wasn't the right word, "It's getting-"  
  
*  
  
"Desperate." Thought Lee "Someone needs me." Lee frowned as the feeling came again stronger, tugging at his mind. It was like memory that he knew was there but couldn't recall. Lee wondered if the others were feeling the strange sensation when he heard a small knock at the door. "Come in." He said, glad for a distraction. Gingerly Lio and Ling stepped inside.  
  
"Mr Chaolan." Ling began shakily, "Lio and I feel kinda, um , weird."  
  
"You mean ill?" Asked Lee, not wanting to make a fool of himself.  
  
"No, not really, I just feel like I'm supposed to be someplace else. I know it sounds crazy but it's as if-"  
  
"-Someone's calling you?" Cut in Lee. "Like someone needs help?" Ling nodded, glad that Lee didn't think she was insane . "lIo..." Lee bent down until he was level with the teenager. "Do you feel it too?" Lio nodded.  
  
"Yes." His voice was timid, he felt so strange, he didn't like it. Lio was just wishing Hwoarang was there when The Blood Talon burst through the door, dropping a near unconscious Bryan at the entranceway and charging up the stairs.  
  
"Kazuya!" He yelled, running through hallways and up stairs. "KAZUYA!!" Hwoarang finally find Kazuya's room and, without a second thought, flung open the door. "Kazuya..." Kazuya looked up curiously at the ginger haired youth.  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Kazuya...Jin needs help."  
  
*  
  
Jin screamed as the scientist ran another electrical charge through his body. He wasn't sure how long he had been in the room. When he wasn't being experimented on he was unconscious, time had no meaning any more. Pain radiated from almost every part of his body, be it his shattered ribs, torn muscles or the hundreds of volts rushing through his body. He felt so weak, they kept taking his blood for tests, taking and taking but never giving any back. Jin stopped screaming as the charges stopped only to start again 10 seconds later as his body had to cope with double the voltage, eventually, just as Jin thought he could take no more, his devil side emerged.  
  
"Aha!" Abel beamed, "This is what we've been waiting for."  
  
*  
  
Hwoarang bit down on his lip, fighting back tears that threatened to fall as Bryan's coffin was lowered into the grave. Ling was sobbing her eyes out, clutching Hwoarang's hand so hard The Blood Talon thought she might break it, not that he minded, the pain let him forget about Bryan, at least for a second. A few metres back Kazuya and Lio stood together feeling slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"Hwoarang's really upset isn't he?" Lio looked at Kazuya, desperate to end the awkward silence, Kazuya didn't reply as he stared into the horizon, "Are you worried about Jin?" Lio asked gingerly. Kazuya nodded once.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Don't worry, he's probably just taking some time to think."  
  
"It's been two days now, he should have been in contact." Kazuya said, half to himself.  
  
"Well someone's bound to have seen him, they'll see the posters and then ring us." Lio smiled, London's always busy, I bet loads of people have seen him."  
  
"I just don't know how much more of this he can take. "I mean first he looses his mother, then his grandfather and now one of his closest friends...he can't be feeling to happy can he?"  
  
"He's tough he'll get through it."  
  
"I don't know, all I'm sure of is that we need to find him...fast."  
  
*  
  
Jin shuddered as Abel injected him with something else, he was too weak to care now, it took so much effort to keep his eyes open most of the time he didn't bother. He had given up hope of escaping, memories of another place, another time where he lived without pain were fast fading, he remembered a girl, pretty and outgoing, he thought he liked the girl but he couldn't be sure...she probably hated him anyway so what did it matter? And there was a man, his friend, or was there? It was too hard to think with concussion. He tried to focus on Abel's voice rather than how he suddenly felt like his body temperature had dropped by about 10 degrees.   
  
"With the data I can adapt the devil gene and create the most powerful...." Jin tuned out, even the pain was better than listening to Abel's cliché rambling. "Tell me Jin..." Abel cupped Jin's chin and lifted his head off the operating table. "Are you cold?" Jin looked at Abel through half-lidded eyes, it was all he could do to mumble his one word reply.   
  
"...Yes." Able laughed, pushing Jin's head back down to the table and sending a quick electrical charge through him.  
  
"You really are pathetic Jin, I would kill you now if I didn't need you for my experiments, and of course..." Able shocked Jin again, Jin screamed as loud as his weakened voice would allow. "...It is fun to make you scream."  
  
*  
  
Kazuya paced his room, desperately trying to think of where his son could be, it had been three days and the nagging thought that Jin needed help wouldn't leave him. He wasn't used to this feeling, this...helplessness, he was Kazuya Mishima, he could control anything, just not...this. For once he wasn't in control and he didn't like it. Raising his eyes to the ceiling he prayed, almost silently, under his breath.  
  
"Jun...help me..." Just as he was about to continue, the doorbell rang, sounding throughout the whole house. Kazuya walked down the stairs, his heart praying that it was Jin, his heart fell when he opened the door. Stood in front of him was a young male in his early twenties, he was tall with blonde hair plastered to his head.  
  
"Can I help?" Asked Kazuya trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.  
  
"Yeah. I heard you were looking for a guy named Jin." Kazuya gasped.  
  
"That's correct." He replied. The young man nodded and smiled.  
  
"I think I can help." 


	9. Devil's torment

Chapter 9  
  
Devil's torment  
  
Abel watched his screen intently as he searched through Jin's memories for ammunition to try and trigger the transformation. He knew, if given enough negative stimulation, Jin's devil side would appear but all he had tried so far was physical pain and he was quickly growing bored of that. His eyes widened as he cam upon one very hazy image that showed a young woman being slowly crushed beneath the foot of The Toshin. A cruel smile tugged at his lips as he watched Jin's unconscious form and the possibilities whirled around in his head.  
  
"Oh yes Jin, we'll have lots of fun when you wake up...lots of fun..."  
  
*  
  
Hwoarang, Ling and Kazuya watched as the blonde paced the office while he spoke .  
  
"...At least I think it was him, he looked pretty down." Steve sighed, Hwoarang cringed, he had a pretty good idea why.  
  
"Can you tell us where you last saw him?" Ling asked urgently.   
  
"Yeah." Steve thought for a second. "Yeah, I'll take you there now if you want."  
  
"Please." Kazuya stood up preparing to leave.  
  
"I'm going with you!" Hwoarang jumped out of his seat.  
  
"It's okay." Kazuya said firmly. "We'll manage."  
  
"But..." Hwoarang stepped up in front of Kazuya. "I can help."   
  
"Hwoarang no.." Kazuya said quietly so that only Hwoarang could hear. "You need to stay here with Ling, and besides, someone needs to pick up that boy-"  
  
"Lio." Hwoarang cut in.  
  
"Right, someone needs to pick up Lio from school." Hwoarang stepped back and hung his head.  
  
"Okay, but tell me as soon as you find something right?"  
  
"I will." Kazuya walked towards the door. "I'll be back soon, hopefully with Jin."  
  
*  
  
Jin looked up at Abel as best he could, the scientist was talking again and, as usual, Jin was trying to tune him out. It was working fine until his finely tuned senses snapped to attention as he caught one word of Abel's rambling - 'Jun'.  
  
"I mean it's got to make you feel guilty right? Just lying there, doing nothing while your mother is murdered..." Jin clenched his fists and then relaxed them again as memories began to filter through the haze in his mind. "Hell, you might as well have killed her yourself." Abel smirked, he knew this would drive Jin crazy but so far the youth didn't look too bothered, perhaps he was having trouble hearing. "You hear me Jin? You just about killed your mother, you're a murderer." Jin looked up, glaring as best he could but Abel's words didn't bother him as he repeated what his father had told him over and over again in his head.   
  
"Jin you DID NOT kill your mother, it's not your fault she died."  
  
And as he repeated his little mantra over and over again in his head, Jin knew nothing Abel said could hurt him; in terms of Abel's words, he was invincible.  
  
*  
  
"This is the spot." Steve stopped just outside the entrance to an alleyway, "Right here about 7 O clock."  
  
"Thanks." Said Kazuya as he immediately began scanning the area for clues, a few moments later he looked up and saw Steve still standing there. "Hwoarang will give you your reward, he's still back at home."  
  
"No, I'll help you look."  
  
"Are you sure? We don't even know what to look for."  
  
"Exactly." Steve grinned. "You'll need help." Kazuya smiled slightly at the youth's enthusiasm.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"No probs." Steve began scanning the alleyway with Kazuya but he wasn't sure what they were looking for let alone if they would ever find it.  
  
*  
  
Hwoarang stood outside the gates of Lio's school, he knew the bullies wouldn't bother Lio while he was there, not after the beating he had given them last time. He was determined to protect Lio but at the same time he needed to let the young teenager stand on his own. Hwoarang knew Baek had never gone easy on him and, as a result, Hwoarang had grown strong and learnt to stand on his own two feet, he would do the same for Lio.  
  
"Hi Hwoarang!" Lio's cheerful voice pulled Hwoarang out of his thoughts.  
  
"Hey." Hwoarang set off walking in step with Lio. "You have a good day?"   
  
"Uh huh." Lio nodded, "Those guys don't come anywhere near me now." Hwoarang forced a small smile. "Cos I told them, if they did, you'd beat them up again."   
  
"Who's to say I would?" Hwoarang said with an undertone of anger in his voice.  
  
"Wha...what?" Lio faltered. "You said you'd help me. You said you'd take care of me!"  
  
"And I will." Hwoarang said calmly. "But part of that deal is teaching you to stand up for yourself." Hwoarang paused seeing Lio's aghast face. "Hey, hey listen..." He said gently. "You remember that night Jin came home?"  
  
"Yeah..." Said Lio softly.  
  
"And I said I'd teach you to fight?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"I meant it, okay? You're gonna be a fighter." Lio nodded unconvincingly.  
  
"If you say so."  
  
"No, if you say so. I'm not gonna be the one doing all the work, it's gonna take your effort."  
  
"Okay. So." Lio paused, "When do I start?"  
  
"Well, how does now sound?"  
  
"Great!"  
  
"Good." Hwoarang smiled, "We'll make you a fighter yet..."  
  
*  
  
Hey Kaz! Kazuya over here!" Steve yelled from somewhere around the middle of the alley, "Kazuya, come check this out!" Kazuya jogged over to where Steve was standing, staring at the floor.  
  
"What is it?" He asked tensely.  
  
"Here." Steve bent down and picked something off the ground, holding his hand out to Kazuya he offered the item to him. "Check this out." Kazuya frowned, taking the object and peering at it closely.  
  
"It's a tranquilliser dart..." He said, puzzled.   
  
"Yeah, I get that but...what does it mean?" Steve said, equally puzzled.  
  
"It means that this attack wasn't random, this was a planned kidnap." Kazuya said solemnly.  
  
"And that means..."  
  
"That this is a Hell of a lot more serious than we thought."  
  
*  
  
Lee sat in his office trying to upload another fighting style into the second Combot prototype when his door was flung open, he span around in his chair only to find a very worried looking Kazuya standing in the doorway.  
  
"Kazuya I-"  
  
"Lee I need you to analyse this for me." Kazuya thrust the used dart in Lee's face, Lee gently pushed Kazuya's hand out of the way.  
  
"Kazuya I'm kind of busy at the minute..."  
  
"Lee! This is important!"  
  
"Kazuya I don't care! I have other stuff to do!"   
  
Lee, this is about Jin! We found it at the place where Steve said he saw him."  
  
"Why didn't you say that then?" Lee rolled his eyes and walked over to his lab station. He pulled a pair of goggles over his eyes and indicated for Kazuya to do the same. Kazuya did not look happy when he found his pair to have luminous pink rims.  
  
"Lee, why do you have pink goggles in your lab?" Lee grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Ling said she wouldn't work with me unless she got to wear pink goggles."  
  
"And you agreed?" Kazuya sighed in exasperation. "You're more of a pushover than I thought."  
  
"Hey I-"  
  
"Just analyse!" Kazuya cut Lee short, shaking his head. Lee squirted the remaining droplets out of the dart onto the slide and proceeded to push the slide under the microscope. A worried frown appeared on Lee's face as he fixed the focus and booted up his laptop, scanning through various files growing increasingly more worried. Kazuya stood with his arms folded, tapping his foot, he was trying to be patient, he really was but Lee's frantic typing and clicking was starting to get annoying and that puzzled expression was just... "lee, what's going on?" Kazuya snapped.  
  
"It's...just let me scan this....if I can just..." Lee said absentmindedly, more to himself than his brother.  
  
"Lee...why do you look so worried?" Kazuya said, almost threateningly.   
  
"Kazuya this chemical....it-it was designed a long time ago for use by the SAS, it was deemed inefficient however and never used." Lee took in a shuddering breath. "Therefore the only person with access to it would be it's creator...Doctor Abel." 


	10. Devil's Saviours 1

Chapter 10  
  
Devil's Saviours - 1  
  
Kazuya stormed out of Lee's lab, there were only two thing son his mind - to kill Abel and to do it soon. However, he remembered he had promised Hwoarang he would let him know when he found anything and, although the cocky red-head annoyed him slightly, he was a man of his word. Skipping red lights and cutting corners Kazuya felt almost invincible as he sped through the London streets at almost double the permitted speed. After swerving into the Zaibatsu grounds Kazuya hastily parked his Lamborghini and sprinted up to the main entrance. It took Kazuya all his effort to keep his lightning under control as he punched in the access code with trembling fingers.   
  
"Hwoarang!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, lightning exploding from his form as soon as he stepped into the entrance way. "Hwoarang, get here now!" Hwoarang appeared about 30 seconds later dressed in his white Tae Kwon Do uniform, Steve and Lio quickly appeared behind him.  
  
"What the fuck are you yelling like that for?" Hwoarang sighed in annoyance. "Some of us are trying to train..." The redhead gestured to Steve and Lio behind him. Lio gasped, Kazuya was surrounded by...lightning? Terrified, he clutched Hwoarang's shirt, hiding behind his mentor. "And quit with the lightning already! You're scaring Lio!"  
  
"Hey...guys just chill out okay?" Steve stepped in between Kazuya and Hwoarang. "Let's just figure this out..." Kazuya took a few deep breaths to calm himself before speaking in a somewhat shaky tone of voice.  
  
"Hwoarang...I think I know who has Jin..."  
  
*  
  
"Abel?" Hwoarang gasped. "That bastard, I'll kill him!" Lio frowned, Hwoarang was so angry, so was Kazuya, he could feel the hate radiating off them.  
  
"Woah, woah...Let's just calm down okay?" Steve paused. "Do any of you actually know where this Abel guy lives?" Hwoarang and Kazuya exchanged glances before looking back to Steve.  
  
"No..." Said Hwoarang quietly.  
  
"We only moved the company to England a year ago." Kazuya added.  
  
"And I'm guessing a mad scientist's secret laboratory slash torture chamber isn't going to be on any signposts right?"  
  
"No, guess not." Hwoarang shrugged.  
  
"Well, we can't just wait around here, my son could be being killed in there!"  
  
"Or he could already be dead..." Said Hwoarang.  
  
"No!" Yelled Kazuya, grabbing Hwoarang's shirt . "Say something like that again and I'll beat the shit out of you, you little Korean bastard."  
  
"Enough!" Yelled Lio, shocked at the volume of his voice, "Stop fighting! You all want to help Jin, why aren't you working together?" Hwoarang looked away, almost ashamed as Kazuya let go of him.  
  
"He's right." Said Steve. "If we all just relax we can figure something out."  
  
"But where do we even start?" Asked Hwoarang.  
  
"Well, Ling and Lee could probably hack into Abel's network, find out his details." Kazuya suggested.  
  
"Okay. Hwoarang, you could probably get through town quicker on your motorbike right?" Steve asked.  
  
"I guess." Hwoarang nodded.  
  
"You go get that sorted. I'm gonna go change, Kazuya, you might want to too, I think we're probably gonna be doing some fighting." Kazuya nodded and followed Steve up the stairs leaving Lio alone. Lio looked around to see he was by himself, sighing he around aimlessly for a while. Everyone else had something to do, somewhere to go and he was getting the horrible feeling in his stomach that, perhaps, he was just in the way.  
  
*  
  
"Got it!!" Cried Lee and Ling together.  
  
"3 Westbury Avenue." Ling said triumphantly.  
  
"I'm guessing the lab will be under the house." Lee said thoughtfully. Kazuya, Hwoarang and Steve all nodded.  
  
"So we find that house, we find Abel?" Hwoarang surmised.  
  
"And we find Abel, we find Jin." Steve smiled at the prospect but stopped when he noticed Kazuya's expression. "Kazuya what's wrong? Aren't you happy?"   
  
"I'm happy, I want to find my son but...that's what I want...what I will find could be a very different story." 


	11. Devi's Saviours 2

Chapter 11  
  
Devil's saviours-2  
  
Hwoarang kicked down the door of 34 Westbury Avenue with ease. He walked gingerly down the hallway, unconsciously sticking close to Kazuya. The house seemed perfectly normal, there was a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room...Hwoarang was beginning to wonder if they had got the right house.   
  
"Lee are you sure this is the right place?" HE asked, scanning his surroundings.   
  
"Positive." Said Lee, walking into the kitchen.  
  
"But he's an evil genius." Hwoarang protested. "Wouldn't he at least have a burglar alarm or something?"  
  
"Hwoarang, quit complaining, it makes things easier for us right?" Steve punched Hwoarang playfully on the arm.  
  
"Too easy..." Said Kazuya thoughtfully, helping Lee search the kitchen for any clues to hint Jin's location.  
  
"Come on Kazuya, you always assume every positive thing that happens is too good to be true, why not be pleased and assume you got lucky once in a while?" Steve smiled, Kazuya merely scowled back at him.  
  
"Because I'm not a lucky guy."  
  
Abel smiled as he watched the figures on the screen courtesy of the hidden CCTV cameras he had installed in every room in his house. He recognised Kazuya instantly-anyone would recognise Kazuya. The ginger haired boy he recognised from Jin's memories, Hwoarang. The silver haired figure Abel knew as Lee Chaolan, a fellow scientist but nowhere near Abel's league. Abel smiled smugly as he thought this before turning his attention to the final person on the screen-A blonder haired male who looked to be in his early twenties. Abel didn't know his name although there was something about him that he recognised....a hint of someone else. Abel shrugged, whoever he was, he would be dead within the hour, what did it matter? Smiling he turned his attention to his latest creation, or rather, his latest weapon. A small, red creature was tucked up in a ball inside a small bell jar filled with green fluid. It was humanoid in shape, two arms, two legs but sticking out of it's back were two small leathery wings. Markings similar to those on Jin's forehead and torso adorned it's entire body. At the moment it was only a metre in height but, Abel smiled at the concept, it would grow to be a killer.  
  
"Man...how long have we been in here now?" Moaned Hwoarang, absent mindedly kicking a nearby coffee table.  
  
"15 minutes." Said Lee.  
  
"That all?" Hwoarang sighed. "We're gonna be in here forever..."  
  
"If you get off your ass and help us look then probably not." Kazuya said angrily.   
  
"Besides this is the last room so the entrance has got to be in here right?" Steve said looked at Hwoarang, Hwoarang looked back.  
  
"Did anyone tell you you're goddamn annoying?" He said, scowling.  
  
"Look, has anyone found anything?" Lee said pleadingly.   
  
"Nope." Steve shook his head.  
  
"No." Kazuya said, sighing.   
  
"Nothing." Hwoarang growled in frustration. "This is fucking hopeless!" He yelled, stamping his foot down in frustration. "Kazama couldn't go and get kidnapped and then hidden somewhere simple could he? Nooo, he had to go and get stashed away in some secret-"  
  
"Do that again." Lee cut in.  
  
"What?" Hwoarang faltered. "Do what again?"  
  
"Stamp on the floor." Lee supplied, Hwoarang obeyed, Lee paused for a moment in thought, everyone stood still watching him. "That doesn't sound right....We need to take the carpet up." He said decidedly.  
  
Kazuya stared down at the trap door-it was right where Hwoarang had been standing just minutes ago, without Lee's help they might never had found it.   
  
"Lee." Kazuya paused, he had never said this to his brother before but Jin was worth it, it's what Jin would do, "Thank you." Lee's eyes widened, Kazuya was being polite? Kazuya was being nice?"  
  
"I guess miracles do happen." He thought to himself. "No problem." He said aloud. Steve turned to Hwoarang, oblivious of the significance of the exchange between the two brothers.  
  
"Told you we'd find it." He said, smiling.  
  
"Shut up Steve." Hwoarang scowled.  
  
"Come on, we're gonna find your friend, cheer up!"  
  
"Steve....you're like a living Prozac or something, can't you just stop being cheerful for one minute?"  
  
"Well excuse me Grumpy!" Hwoarang stopped.  
  
"What the Hell did you just call me?"   
  
"Nothing." Steve said quickly.  
  
"Just leave me alone." Hwoarang sighed.  
  
"Hey, you'll turn into a loner like Jin if you carry on like that." Steve smiled.  
  
"Shut up!" Hwoarang yelled, "I'm nothing like Kazama!"  
  
"Whatever." Steve smirked.  
  
"Say anything like that and I'll kill you, I swear I will. Hwoarang glared at Steve who stepped back defensively.  
  
"Okay, calm down, I was only kidding."  
  
"Yeah well..." Hwoarang blushed slightly, "I don't find it funny."  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry." Steve bowed his head.  
  
"Uh...that's okay." Hwoarang faltered, he was expecting Steve to yell back, no-one had ever apologised to him before.   
  
"You two ready?" Asked Kazuya impatiently. Steve and Hwoarang nodded precariously.  
  
"Okay then." Lee took a deep breath. "Let's go in."  
  
"Bloody Hell!" Yelled Steve as he surveyed the scene around him.  
  
"Oh God..." Lee turned around and emptied the contents of his stomach.  
  
"Holy shit..." Hwoarang placed his hand on his mouth. All around, Abel's lab screens were smashed and flickering, electronics sparked and flamed. A thin layer of smoke hovered around the ceiling. On the floor Abel lay...dead...with what looked to be a claw mark through his chest. Kazuya however saw none of this as his gaze was fixed on a table in the middle of the room, lying there broken, bloodied and bleeding but still breathing, was his son. 


	12. Devil's Guardians

**Chapter 12**

**Devil's Guardians**

Lio stood at Jin's bedside, the others had all gone to visit, Lio felt he should too. Thing was, now he was actually here, he didn't really know what to say. Jin was unconscious which obviously limited the conversation. Lee was keeping Jin unconscious so his body could conserve energy, much to Kazuya's annoyance who desperately wanted to talk to his son.

"Um, hi Jin." Lio stammered. "You don't know me, my name's Lio, Lio Kazama, Hwoarang's looking after me now. I used to live with my brother but Hwoarang took me in and now he's teaching me Tae Kwon Do, Steve's helping out too, he's boxing." Lio looked down at Jin, feeling slightly more relaxed, before he started talking again. "I think Hwoarang's pretty worried about you, he hasn't said anything but I can kind of tell. I can't explain it really, I just…know. It's always been like this, people just open up and start talking to me and I can immediately tell what they're feeling." Lio shrugged. "You probably think I'm crazy but it's true I swear…Anyway, I've talked too much, I'll let you…um…keep sleeping." Lio placed his hand near Jin's bruised forehead and hesitantly traced the bruises. "Get well soon." He whispered before turning and leaving before turning and leaving, feeling that somehow he'd just said something important.

Ling clutched Jinas' limp hand as she sat next to his bed, silently praying. She did not know if she believed in 'God' or not, she believed in a God, maybe a Goddess but at that minute she was praying to neither. When Ling had been small, she had always been afraid of thunderstorms, whenever one would come she would hide under the bed until it had passed. One day her Uncle Wang had told her that everyone had a special angel looking after them so she had no need to be afraid, her angel would protect her. Tonight Ling prayed to her angel. The silent mantra in her head.

"Keep him safe, keep him safe, please keep him safe." Ling repeated. Ending her prayer with a thank you, Ling bent over and kissed Jin on his lips, quietly whispering in his ear. "I love you." Before turning and leaving, still praying, because Ling knew now, whatever happened, she would lose Jin again, she wouldn't.

Hwoarang stood with his arms folded, looking down at Jin's battered body. He didn't know why the hell he had come here, shit, it didn't matter to him whether Kazama lived or died did it? Yes…he knew the answer, it mattered a Hell of a lot. Whether he liked it or not, Hwoarang Doo San cared about Jin and he was not willing to lose another of his friends to Abel.

"Shame the bastard's dead." Hwoarang thought. "I would've liked to have gotten a few kicks in myself. Hwoarang gazed at the various machines hooked up to Jin's body and shuddered, it reminded him of when he would wake up in hospital after one of his father's beatings. He hated hospitals. Hwoarang looked back down at Jin, "Kazama I…" Hwoarang paused and swallowed hard, "Kazama I'm sorry about what I said." There. He'd said it and it hadn't been so bad, he actually felt better for it. Of course, Hwoarang knew he would have to do it again when Jin woke up and that would be a real challenge.

Kazuya placed his hand on Jin's shoulder, his other hand ruffling Jin's black hair.

"Jin I'm sorry." He said quietly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated, withdrawing his hands back to his sides-he didn't deserve to lay hands on his son, not after he had broken his promise:-

"_I won't let anything hurt you. I wasn't there to protect you for the last 19 years, I'm going to make up for it now."_

A promise he had failed to keep.

"Jin, I'm sorry." Kazuya whispered again, bowing his head. "I failed you, I'm sorry. I promised I'd protect you and I didn't, I failed."

"You said it." Devil hissed in Kazuya's mind. "You're a failure."

"Go away." Kazuya said aloud although he hadn't the mental willpower at that time to silence the demonic presence-a part of him wanted to be tormented, he need to be punished after what he had done.

"You realise he could have died Kazuya? He woud have died alone and in pain and you wouldn't have been able to do anything." Kazuya flinched at Devil's words. "He probably hates you now, everyone else does, they all blame you for not protecting him, nothing like this ever happened until you came along."

"Please don't." Kazuya pleaded, weak flickers of lightning darting over his form."

"Oh my Kazuya, it seems like we've found your weakness doesn't it?"

"Stop it." Weak and dull coloured lightning flickered along Kazuya's torso, scorching the floor and walls. Kazuya looked at the damage, any one of those sparks could have hit Jin. Kazuya shook his head as he left the room, he didn't deserve to be in the presence of his son.

Steve hummed absent mindedly as he flicked through his magazine. Jin was breathing softly in his sleep and every so often the blonde haired Englishman would glance over and check on him. For some reason he hadn't left the Mishima compound, he was actually starting to enjoy hanging out there. He enjoyed tutoring Lio and Lee was actually quite a good laugh if you managed to tear him away from computers for more than five minutes, Hwoarang was funny when he was drunk and Ling was amazing, she could even make Kazuya Mishima scared when she was in a bad mood. Yes, the Mishima compound inhabitants made up by far the most dysfunctional family Steve had ever met, dysfunctional but still a family-a family Steve hoped one day, he would still be part of.

Lee checked all of the equipment hooked up to Jin's slowly healing body before sitting down in the chair at Jin's bedside, feeling awkward. He didn't know where he stood with Jin, he had never really taken the time to get to know him properly. He had been busy running G-corporation and in his free time he was working on his Combot or practicing his ninjitsu. Jin had provided him invaluable funding and Lee realised he had never thanked him properly. Lee knew G-corporation had by far the best medical facilities which is why he had chosen not to take Jin to a hospital. Besides, Lee figured the Devil DNA would be kind of hard to explain. Kazuya was growing increasingly impatient with Lee and the Silver Devil decided that perhaps it was time for Jin's awakening.


	13. Devil's awakening

**Chapter 13**

**Devil's Awakening**

Jin stood up and looked around, it was pitch black and silent apart from a soft humming in the background. Jin strained his ears to find the source of the sounds but it seemed to echo all around him. What was it anyway? It was a voice, soft and female, it was…Jun's.

"Mother!" Jin called into the darkness, "Mother where are you?" He cried but was answered only with the same, soft humming. "Mother please!" Jin begged, falling to the ground, lost and alone. Pulling his knees up to his chest and crossing his arms around them, Jin fought back tears. "Mom?" He whispered.

"Jin." The voice answered.

"Mother!" Jin lifted his head, "Mom where are you?" Suddenly the darkness was engulfed with a piercing white light that forced Jin to screw his eyes shut. When he re-opened them, stood in front of him, surrounded by bright aura, was his mother.

"Mother!" Jin yelled, scrambling to his feet and running over to the angelic form. "Is it you?" Jun merely at him, extending her arm out and gently cupping Jin's chin with her hand.

"My precious son…" Jun smiled sadly.

"Mother." Jin reached out and placed a hand on Jun's shoulder. "Am I dead?" He asked quietly. Jun shook her head.

"No Jin, this is not death, this is not reality."

"What do you mean?" Jin asked, withdrawing his hand. "Mom, I don't understand."

"The boy, he is the one you will fight alongside. He the pure part of you."

"The what? Mom, what are you saying?"

"You have to beat it Jin. You are the only ones that can."

"Mom?" Jin frowned. "I don't understand."

"It's time Jin." Jun said quietly, the aura around her starting to fade.

"No Mom, wait!" Jin cried.

"I love Jin, remember what I have told you and know that I love you, your father too…" Jin watched hopelessly as his mother floated away. "I love Jin whispered again as she disappeared back to the darkness."

"Mom come back!" Jin pleaded with the darkness. "Mom…please…" He said quieter before uttering his final words barely above a whisper.

"He's waking up!" Ling gasped. Jin frowned, he could hear more voices now.

"Lee what's happening? Why isn't he opening his eyes?" That was his father.

"Give him time to adjust."

"_Adjust to what?" _Jin thought, _"Where am I?" _

"Oh God, he's okay!" Ling's voice cut through Jin's thoughts.

"See." Jin frowned, he didn't recognise that voice. "I told you he'd be fine."

"Shut up Steve." That was Hwoarang, Jin tensed, there was no way he was going to speak to Hwoarang, it was all Hwoarang's fault he was in this mess anyway. Tired of listening, Jin opened one of his eyes, the other swollen shut, and looked around nervously.

"Jin!" A collective cry arose from the group of people around his bedside.

"Can you move?"

"Does it still hurt?"

"Can you tell me what happened?" Jin flinched as he was bombarded with questions.

"Come on, give him some space." Lee pushed the crowd out of the door, leaving only Kazuya and himself alone with Jin.

Jin, do you know who I am?" Lee asked gently.

"Lee." Jin quietly, his voice weak.

"And me?" Kazuya asked. Jin hesitated for a second before replying shakily.

"Dad." Kazuya nodded, relieved.

"Are you still in pain?" Lee asked, Jin nodded weakly. Kazuya winced. "Do you want us to sedate you again?" Jin shook his head.

"No." He said hoarsely.

"Do you think you could answer some questions yet?" Lee asked. Jin looked up helplessly before shaking his head. Fearfully he glanced up at his father.

"Hey, that's okay." Kazuya said reassuringly, "There's no pressure." Kazuya looked over at his brother. "Right Lee?"

"Right." Lee nodded but he and Kazuya both knew they needed answers soon. "I'll just go take these blood samples to the lab." Lee said to Kazuya with an exaggerated nod of his head, needing to speak to his brother in private.

"Oh right." Kazuya realised what Lee was hinting at. "I'll go with you."

"No!" Jin said as loud as he could, coughing weakly and clutching his ribs with his good arm. "No…" He said again, quieter. Kazuya frowned, signalling for Lee to leave.

"Jin, what's wrong? Why don't you want me to leave?" Jin swallowed hard.

"I'm sacred." He whispered. "I don't want to go through that pain again." Jin paused, fighting for consciousness. "Will you stay here?" He asked brokenly. Kazuya gasped as he was hit with a wave of guilt, he had failed to protect Jin, even after he had promised he would, and now he was going to walk away? What kind of a father was he?

"Of course I will." Kazuya said aloud. "Nothing will hurt you now." He added, swearing to himself that, this time, he would make sure that was true.

Kazuya looked worriedly at Lee.

"So Abel's dead then?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes. Gone for good."

"But what killed him?" Kazuya asked, "It can't have been Jin, there's no way."

"I agree." Lee replied with a nod. "Jin was far too weak and he was restrained.

"Besides." Kazuya sighed, "Jin wouldn't kill."

"He wouldn't?"

"No." Kazuya dropped his gaze to the floor. "He's too much like his mother." Lee nodded solemnly.

"But if it wasn't Jin then what was it?"

"Well it was obviously a physical assault, not some kind of explosion."

"But those wounds…they couldn't have been caused by a human, no way, there was a hole right through his chest!" Lee shuddered at the memory.

"Weapons maybe?" Kazuya shrugged.

"Perhaps. But why would the attacker leave Jin unharmed?" Kazuya's eyes lit up slightly.

"Maybe they're on our side!"

"So why would they just leave Jin lying there? Wouldn't they help him?"

"Well maybe…" Kazuya faltered. "Maybe they knew we were coming."

"I don't know…" Lee growled in frustration. "I don't understand this whole situation."

"Neither do I." Kazuya slumped into one of Lee's office chairs.

"Maybe Jin will be able to tell us more later."

"So what do we do in the meantime?"

"The only thing we can do." Lee turned and looked away form his brother. "Wait."

Hwoarang gazed through the window at Jin who was awake, staring at the ceiling. A weak flicker of lightning sparked on the dark haired youth's torso and somehow Howarang knew that Jin knew he was being watched. Taking a deep breath, Hwoarang pushed open the door to Jin's room, not really sure about what he was going to say. Jin turned his head slowly to look at the Blood Talon, pausing for a couple of seconds as his brain processed the image before recognition dawned on him and he looked away sharply. Hwoarang winced as he took in Jin's response, he had expected Jin to be angry…so why did it hurt so much?

"Jin?" Hwoarang said cautiously, Jin didn't move, his head still turned away. "Jin I.." Hwoarang shakily stepped forward.

"Stay the Hell away from me." Jin said quietly.

"Jin…I'm-"

"I mean it Hwoarang." Jin cut in, "Leave me alone."

"Jin I came to apologise. Jin turned to look at Hwoarang, lightning forking over his body.

"Well maybe I don't want to hear it." Jin said angrily, a hint of betrayal seeping into his voice.

"But please-" Hwoarang paused, he was actually pleading with Jin Kazama? "Fine. You can go to Hell!" He snapped, staring angrily down at Jin.

"Oh no Hwoarang" Jin's eyes darkened, boring holes into his former friend. "I've already been somewhere so much worse."


End file.
